The Wire
by Lady Eivel
Summary: Late one night, Martha finds a certain video... Unrequited MarthaTen, with hints of TenRose. Oneshot.


**The Wire**

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Summary: Late one night, Martha finds a certain video…

Disclaimer: I own nothing of this. Wish I did, but I probably never will. Can always hope though.

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Martha hummed softly as she ran her index finger along the list of titles. The Doctor was making some repairs to the TARDIS, so she had the night to herself. Trouble was, she had already seen quite a few of the videos and DVDs on offer, and some of the covers of the ones she hadn't didn't look too good. After a few moments, she came to an untitled video case. Intrigued, she pulled it out. The case was blank and wholly unremarkable, the only clue as to the contents of the video being a scrawled date on the side: 1953. Her curiosity reached its pique- there were no videos she knew of with that title, and there certainly hadn't been any made in that year, as video recorders hadn't been invented until 1956. She tucked the video under her arm and went to find some ice cream to watch it with.

A few minutes later she settled down on her bed with a tub of Ben & Jerry's. She picked up the remote on her bedside table, aimed it at the TV and pressed 'play'. The first few seconds were fuzzy, static screeching through the room, but just as Martha moved to turn it off, the picture evened out and the sound stopped. She settled back as a woman appeared on screen.

"Hello, little girl." Martha frowned. She'd be_ very_ annoyed if this was just a kid's show. However, it would make some pretty decent ammo for when the Doctor made one of his anti-domestic shows.

"Stupid thing." She reached again for the remote.

"Why turn me off? I only said hello. It's usually polite to reply to that." Martha's head snapped round. "Yes, I am talking to you."

"What… who are you?" The woman smirked.

"I am the Wire. Tell me, little girl, do you know someone called the Doctor by any chance?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"I'm merely curious. The last time we met, he was travelling with another little girl. Pretty thing, blonde hair…"

"Rose?"

"Yes, that was her name. Do you know where she went?"

"No. He never says. If I ask him, he won't talk at all."

"Oh, the mean thing! He's hiding it- doesn't want you to know…"

"Know what?"

"My dear young lady, they were very much in love!" She looked sympathetic. "Oh, but look at you. Shattered hopes- I know that look." Martha blinked.

"Wait a second- are you saying you can see me?"

"But of course. I see everything. The fact that he gets through so many young women… oh, and there we are again. Didn't he ever tell you? Little things like you, such pretty little things, you never last long." Martha was shocked. He had always said she wasn't replacing Rose, but who had Rose replaced? And what was she to him, really?

"But…"

"There's no buts, my dear. You simply have to face it. And it's hard, I know." Her face brightened. "Oh, but I can help you with that. I can tell him what we really think of all his lies, all those little 'commodities' he takes on board. And then, my dear, we will punish him for it."

"What do you mean?"

"Come closer and I'll tell you." Martha rolled off the bed and walked hesitantly towards the screen. "Closer still, that's it. Kneel down so your head is the same height as mine, and we can talk." Martha obeyed, still a little cautious. "That's right." The woman smiled.

"So, what…?"

"Oh, my dear child. I'm going to help you. You will never have to feel pain again." Lines of blue light shot out from the screen, Martha's screams drowned out by the crackling sound they made, and by the laughter of the woman.

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The Doctor leapt up through the hole in the floor and kicked the thin metal grate back into place.

"There. That should do it." He turned. "Better tell Martha." His pace was fast, and he soon found himself outside his companion's bedroom door. He knocked. "Martha, you in there?" No reply. "You decent?" Still no reply. "I'll take that as a yes then." He opened the door. The room was dark. A tub of Ben & Jerry's ice cream lay on the bed beside the pillow. He stepped inside. "Martha?" He turned to close the door and could just about make out the figure of his companion standing behind it. "Very funny Martha, just came to say…" He switched the light on and saw why there had been no reply. "Oh no…"

The girl had no face. He stepped forward, reaching out a hand.

"Hello there, Doctor." The voice coming from the TV was all too familiar. He whirled round angrily to see the Wire smiling pleasantly at him.

"What did you do to her?"

"Me? I did nothing. I merely took away her pain at discovering who you truly are."

"What?"

"I told her, Doctor. Told her how many other young women you have taken aboard. Told her about Rose. Told her what you did not." She smirked. "And now, Doctor, dear Martha is at rest. Hers was a short-range absorption, but I think I can manage a longer one." As the tendrils of energy latched on to his face, snaked through his entire being, the Doctor barely knew whether his yell was one of pain, guilt, regret or just sheer anger.

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A/N What do you think? I love possessed Doctor and Martha! Actually, I may continue this, if enough interest is shown, once I have finished 'Barriers'. Like the idea? Please review and tell me!


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